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No Knead Brioche With Pink Almond Praline

March 5, 2008

Yes I hear you, "another brioche post", and I want to tell you that when you can't reach overhead for a few days and that soup is not really appealing after surgery, brioche is like food send from angels way up above. I had surgery yesterday and my lovely mother-in-law brought me a big pot of soup...and what did I do? I ate brioche instead...for dinner! No veggies, no protein, just pure unadulterated butter and flour.

What makes me happy about this brioche is the little pink praline inside and the little story that goes along with it. I have had a huge crush on Guillemette from Chocolat et Caetera for over a year now. I can't tell you how many times I leave the house and her latest post is still on my computer screen, how many times I look at her desserts and admire the pure taste and flavors she combines. She is smart, fun and beautiful. She is my girl crush, quoi! A few months ago we started talking about the things we missed about France for me and the US for her (food of course) and somewhere in the mounds of cheese and slushies she mentioned "Heath Toffee Bits" and I remembered the pink pralines from Lyon that I loved so much in brioche. Don't be mistaken by the word praline: the almond is coated with a semi hard caramel that is tinted in pink and then flavored with different essences. This praline may appear crackling at first but soon the outside gives way to a soft interior. Along with the pralines, Guillemette spoiled me with hazelnut paste, raspberry chocolate jam, tons of incredible artisan chocolate and cookies. Thank you!

Back to the brioche shall we? I received Artisan Bread In Five Minutes A Day when , my other girl crush, Jaden, held a drawing for a few copies of this book based on the ubber popular and beloved concept of the No-Knead bread. After kneading Julia's French bread by hand from line 1 to line....(well, til the end), I needed the welcome change of a no-knead dough, but brioche? I was skeptical to say the least. My favorite brioche is not the all buttery kinf but rather the one that we call "brioche filee", one that gives out nice strands of dough as you pull it apart. I feared that no matter how good the no-knead one would be, it would just disappoint me. I looked at the brioche recipe in the book but I did not have enough eggs and remember I hate to be disappointed by bread! I settled on the recipe for Challah which texture is very close to the "brioche filee" texture I like so much.

I made small ones, with and without "tete", that little bump on top, and filled each with a praline. I made a double batch so I could indulge on a moment's notice and boy was I happy to butter one up tonight. See doctor! No reaching overhead! Just from the tray, passed the butter and onward to my mouth. Oh my...perfect! Not too sweet, not oozing in butter, each filled with a little pink surprise inside! Excuse me if I end this post right there with the recipe, but my painkillers are calling my name and I fear I might not make much sense in a few minutes. I will leave you with the recipe for the Challah adapted slightly from Jaden's minus the praline, and feel free to bake the challah as intended or fill brioche molds and make small ones. Both doughs are cousins after all.

In a large bowl of your stand mixer with paddle attachment mix together the eggs, water, honey, melted butter, yeast and salt. Add in the flour and mix until all the flour is incorporated Cover (not airtight) and stick it in the refrigerator overnight, or up to 4 days. The longer you let the dough in the refrigerator, the better tasting it will be.

You can let it rise for 2 hours on the counter, cover and refrigerate overnight. Pinch of a grapefruit size ball (one pound) and use as you prefer. The dough will keep well for about a week. Freeze if necessary and allow to thaw overnight in the fridge.

I absolutely do not mind at all-- I've never tasted true brioche before but I would LOVE to have one! I think the easiest path may actually be to make my own! Yours looks perfect and the recipe looks extremely easy!You are crushing all over the place, heheh :) You have any more love saved up for lil' old me? Haha :)

Years and years ago, I made brioche with my - then - small son. He loved it. We made more, and it was like lead balloons. I never tried again. He's home from uni on Saturday - guess what he's getting for breakfast?

Hope you're feeling better... THe no-knead brioche looks very good, and love that it's so simple to make. Have to get that book...Are those the pralines you give away at weddings and births? Or is that not a custom in France?

So glad your surgery is behind you and you can be home and recuperating -- with brioche! I love this recipe, too; any dough that improves with a long rise in the fridge is one I am likely to want to make frequently.

Oh my gosh, how funny....I bought this book a couple of weeks ago and I made the brioche dough last night late and after rising put it in the fridge around 11:30 pm. I am sooo excited to use it. I want to make the chocolate filled brioche and the almond brioche. Hope you are feeling better and heal soon! I hear a couple of puffs on some tonka beans is waaaay better than any painkiller.

Helene- I hope that everything is okay! At least,you felt well enough to post. Your little brioches look adorable! The brioche recipe in that book may not be the authentic ones you are used to, but I have really enjoyed the ones I've made. You certainly can't beat the convenience.

I love Guillemette's site too. Even though I can't understand most of it, I love the recipes and the pictures!

I am definately not here to correct the professional but Tart....I made this recipe last night from the book and it called for 8 eggs and 1 1/2 c. water??? Did you tweek the recipe or are you high on Tonka Beans??? Does my book have a misprint. I even double checked....now I am freaking out and am afraid to bake it up. This better be the painkillers recipe hahahaha.

Stacey: I gave the recipe for the Challah master dough because this is what I used to make the brioche. I explained that I did not have enough eggs and that I prefer the texture of Challah because it reminds me of a certain type of brioche in France.

I'm sorry about your surgery. Go easy on those painkillers now. I had my wisdom teeth taken out a few months ago, and they gave me painkillers. They made me itch! And I guess that means you're allergic if that happens to you. Just a little piece of information.

I love brioche but I've never made it before. Only challah. These are cute as a button.